Electric light socket



Dec. 17, 1940. R REYNOLDS 2,225,461

ELECTRI C LIGHT SOCKET Filed Nov. 22, 1958 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET neben L. Reynolds, LosAngeles, Calif. Application November 22, 193s, serial No. 241,778

Claims.

This invention relates to and has for an object the provision of a novelconstruction and arrangement of companion male and female units ofelectrical connectors, such as a socket 5 and a lamp, a socket and aplug, a fuse block and a fuse, or any two related and detachable devicesfor establishing an electrical connection, wherein such construction andarrangement renders both units shock-proof and makes possible a 1o quickand easy coupling and uncoupling of said units without the use of `screwthreaded parts, bayonet joints or other coupling means requiringrotation of either unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a connector such asdescribed wherein the contact members of the companion units are in theform of tubes of circular cross section arranged to bev telescopicallyengaged and frictionally maintained in proper contact with one anotherwithout necessitating the turning of one unit relative to the other tobring the contacts into a predetermined position other than axialalignment before plugging one in the other.

A further object is to provide a connection wherein the tubular contactmembers may be effectively secured in place without screws or the likeand will provide a strong and rugged construction With the contactmembers of the line connected unit, such as a socket, lcountersunk inthe body of insulation material whereby to prevent short circuiting,shocks and distortion or other damage to contact members themselves.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects andadvantages as may subsequently appear, the invention is carried intoeiect as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of socket and lamp constructed inaccordance with this invention and as when coupled;

Fig. 2 represents an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on theplane of line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a sectional view taken on line 15 3 3 of Fig. 2

y Fig. 4 represents a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 represents a sectional View taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the base of the lampconstructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of inner or center M contact member of thesocket;

Fig. 8 is alsectional View of a fuse embodying the construction of thisinvention;l

Fig. 9 is a sectional View of a fuse block on socket embodying theconstruction of this invention. 5

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the invention hereof whetherembodiedin a socket and-lamp as shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive or in afuse unit as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, or in any other electricalconnector, generally in- 10 cludes related and detachable connectorunits A and B having tubular and concentric contact members IA1 and A2and B1 and B2 arranged to be telescopically engaged by merely plug-gingone unit in the other after bringing the contact members into positionof axial alignment. Such units are frictionally held in contactingrelation and it is seen that they may be quickly and easily connectedwithout the use of screw threaded, bayonet or other rotative joints,-and that it is 20 only necessary to bring the contact members into axialalignment in order to plug one unit in the other. In all cases, the lineconnected or hot unit has its contacts countersunk in an insulation'bodyportion to prevent shocks, short cir- 25 cuiting and damage to thecontacts themselves.

Referring more specically to the socket and electric lamp units shown inFigs. 1 to '7 inelusive; it is seen `that the socket includes the usualcylindrical two-part metal outer shell I il() which houses a body 2 ofinsulation material and a frictionally retained metal shell 3 having aslotted lower e'nd forming a plurality of gripping tongues or jaws 4.The shell 3 is reduced between its ends to form an annular shoulder 5 35for supporting the body 2 and the upper end of said inner shell iscrimped over the upper end of the body 2 asat 6 after the body isinserted in place.

The tubular contact member A1 is mounted in 40 an annular recess 1centrally of the body 2 and is provided with slots 8 defining aplurality of spring contact fingers 9 which are outwardly flared andterminate in inwardly spaced relation to the outer extremities oftherecessl `*but inposition tobe contacted when the contact B1 of thecompanion unit is inserted in said recess; Tongues I0 are provided onthe inner end of the tubular contact A1 and are inserted throughopenings I I registering with the inner end of the recess 1, then bentto lie in recesses I2 at the upperends of the openings II and cementedover as at'l3, whereby to secure the contactAl to the body 2. f v

For the 'purpose of connecting the contact A1 I5@ with a line conductorI4, a tubular binding post I is formed integral with the upper end ofthe contact A1 and extended upwardly from the top of the body 2 throughan opening I6 therein. To avoid stripping the insulation from theconductor I4, the end of the conductor is inserted in the upper end ofthe post I5 and a contact staple l1 is inserted laterally throughaligned holes I8 in said post, in such manner as to engage the Wire asshown in Fig. 2. This provides for an easily effected and quickdetachable connection of the conductor and insures a proper electricalconnection.

The outer contact member A2 is mounted in an annular recess I9concentric with and similar to the annular recess l and is substantiallyidentical with the contact A1 except as to size, in that it is providedwith contact lingers 9 and ID', and a tubular binding post I5 for theother conductor I4'. 'I'he ends of the contact ngers 9 rare spacedinwardly from the outer end of the recess I9 as are the fingers 9 in therecess 1; both side walls of each of the annular recesses I and I9 beingpart of the insulation body 2, and terminating on a common plane inoutward spaced relation to the tips of the contact fingers 9 and 9 sothat bodies of insulation protrude outwardly from the interior and theexterior of the outer end portions of the contact fingers 9 and 9 of thecontact members A1 and A2. This arrangement of the contact fingers 9 and9 prevents shock and short cricuits and 'protects the contacts fromdistortion and other damage.

The lamp includes the usual bulb 20 and filament conductors 2I, the bulbbeing cemented in a metal base 22. The upper part of the base 22 formsthe annular or tubular contact member B2 which is adapted to be received'in the recess I9 and to be frictionally engaged with fingers 9- asshown in Fig. 2.

'Ihe inner contact member Bl of the lamp is in the form of a cup thebottom of which is interlocked with a disk 23 of insulation material setinteriorly of the contact B2. The filament conductors are connected asat 24 and 24 respectively with the contacts B1 and B2. The outer endportion of the annular side wall of the contact B1 is formed with anannular groove or indentation 25 whereby to frictionally and releasablyinterlock with the fingers 9 when the contact B1 is thrust into therecess 'I so as to engage said fingers as shown in Fig. 2.

V When the base of the lamp is inserted into the socket the tongues orjaws 4 will frictionally retain the base in the socket, it being'notedthat aspacersleeve 2l of compressible paper or the like is interposedbetween these jaws Aand the shell, whereby to accommodate a yieldingmovement of said jaws.

In Figs. 8 and 9, the connectors are in the form of a fuse socket orblock 28 and a fuse 29, which include thev tubular contacts A1 and A2and B1 and B2 of substantially the same construction and arrangement asthe corresponding contact members in the lamp socket and lamp shown inFig. 2. The fuse block has annular concentric recesses 30' and 3| andthe contacts A1 and A2 are fitted therein as are the contacts of thelamp socket. Tongues-32 formed integral with the contacts A1 and A2 areextended laterally through openings 33 in the block and have bindingposts 34 at their outer ends for connection with line conductors notshown. The contacts A1 and A2 are countersunk as are the socket contactsand for the same purpose.

The fuse 29 consists of a body 35 of insulation material to which theconcentric tubular contacts B1 and B2 are fixed so that they may betelescopically engaged with the block contacts A1 and A2.A Certainterminals of the contacts B1 and B2 extend into a covered recess 36having a closure 3'I. A fuse element 38 mounted in said recess isconnected across said terminals. 'Ihis fuse unit is subject to beingreadily inserted and withdrawn and will be securely frictionally held inplace.

I claim:

l. An electrical connector including a pair of separable connectingdevices, concentric tubular male contact members mounted in spacedrelation to one another on one of said devices, similarly spacedconcentric tubular female contact members carried by the other of saiddevices and adapted to be telescopically engaged with the contacts ofthe first named device, said second named device having concentricannular recesses in which the tubular female contacts thereof aremounted so as to be engaged with iirst named contacts upon entrance ofthe latter into said recesses, and said female contacts having theirtips spaced inwardly from the plane of the margins of the walls of saidrecesses.

2. An electrical connector includingr a pair of separable connectingdevices, concentric tubular male contact members mounted in spacedrelation to one another on one of said devices, similarly spacedconcentric tubular female contact members carried by the other of saiddevices and adapted to be telescopically engaged with the contacts ofthe first named device, said second named device having concentricannular recesses in which the tubular female contacts thereof arecountersunk with their outer ends spaced inwardly from the plane of themargins of the inner and outer walls of said recesses so as to beengaged with first named contacts only after entrance of the latter intosaid recesses.

3. An electrical connector including a pair of separable connectingdevices, concentric tubular male contact members mounted in spacedrelation to one another on one of said devices, similarly spacedconcentric tubular female contact members carried by the other of saiddevices and adapted to be telescopically engaged with the contacts ofthe first named device, said second named device having concentricannular recesses in which the tubular female contacts thereof aremounted with their outer ends recessed relative to the. plane of themargins of said recesses so as to be engaged with first named contactsupon entrance of the latter into said recesses, certain ofthe companioncontacts having cooperating convex and concave portions adapted toreleasably and frictionally interlock.

4. An electrical connector including a pair of separableY connectingdevices, concentric vtubular male contact members mounted in spacedrelation to one another on one of said devices?, similarly spacedconcentric tubular female contact members carried by the other of saiddevices and adapted to be telescopically engaged with the contacts ofthe iirst named device,l said second named device having concentricannular recesses in which the ltubular female contacts thereof arecountersunk with their outer ends spaced inwardly from the plane of themargins of the inner and outer Walls of said recesses so as to beengaged with rst named contacts only after entrance of the latter intosaid recesses,

said female contacts being slotted to define a plurality of resilientcontact jaws.

5. An electrical connector including a pair of separable connectingdevices one of which constitues a socket member having a body ofinsulation material formed with a pair of concentric annular recesses, atubular female contact member arranged in each of said recesses havingits outer end spaced inwardly relative to the plane of the margins ofthe side walls of its recess whereby said contact members are housed completely Within said body of insulation material with the outer ends ofsaid contact members counter-sunk therein, and the other of whichconnecting devices embodies an end disc of insulation material and apair of spaced concentric tubular `contacts protruding from said discadapted to be inserted in the annular recesses of the body of the otherconnecting device into electrical connection with the tubular contactstherein.

ROBERT L. REYNOLDS.

